Meanwhile, Back In Paris

As others before me have noted, returning home from vacation is always a little easier when home is Paris. And, to make my homecoming even better, two of my favorite women are coming to hang out with me. On Thursday my fabulous mother and her equally fabulous sister are arriving for two weeks! Fortunately they are not ticketed on Air France, which (of course) is striking at the moment. I am beyond excited and have been busy thinking about what kinds of adventures the three of us can have together. And, of course, where we should eat. Because I am always thinking about my next two or three meals, particularly when I am eating them in Paris! Actually, it doesn’t matter where I am. My mind is perpetually on The Food Channel. Is that weird?

Monday I did a bit of tromping around, including a wonderful walk across the river and then across the Champ de Mars and then to lunch at a delightful little bistro called La Cantine Du Troquet Dupleix. I usually eat soup on this sunny little terrace, which is what I did yesterday- a delicious vichyssoise with potato and something else green which I have forgotten. It was a perfect, light lunch shared with a fun new friend from Boulder who writes here. Check her out!

love this Passy bridge

Later in the afternoon I walked over to the newly restored Peninsula Hotel where my friend Mary Kay and I hoped to sip a cocktail at the rooftop bar, L’Oiseau Blanc. Much to our dismay, however, a private event precluded our visit. Never fear- I will not be deterred so easily, and I will try yet again to wrangle my way onto that fancy schmancy terrace. I  might even take my mom and auntie, if they promise to use their party manners.

If you have a moment, go to the Peninsula site and watch the video about the $999,000,000 renovation, and catch a few peeks of the inside of this glamorous hotel. At over 1000 euros per night for the starting rate, it’s the closest I will ever get to a room there.

I did take these pictures of the outside for you (fo free!).

Not to be denied our right to pay an outrageous price for a drink, we marched right next door to the Hotel Raphael, where we had no problem getting a table with a view. I didn’t take any pictures, unlike the better blogger who snapped this great photo of the terrace and the view.

As you can see, it was a very tough day of post-vacation re-entry.

I do my best.